A primary school pupil sparked panic after finding a live WWI hand grenade while on a trip in Aberfoyle.
The youngster came across the explosive device in a burn a short distance from Dounans Outdoor Centre in the village.
The pupil picked up the rusting old wartime shell and carried it back to the centre, where alarmed staff then called police.
The dramatic incident started when the child discovered the grenade shortly before 3pm Tuesday.
Jamie Miller, manager of Dounans Outdoor Centre, said: “The youngster brought it back to the centre and I put it out on an old tennis court and I phoned the police.
“The council also came with sandbags and the military carried out a controlled explosion. It was all very dramatic but it was better to be safe than sorry.”
Police attended the scene and set up a cordon to keep members of the public at a safe distance.
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “About 2.45pm Tuesday police in Forth Valley attended at Main Street, Aberfoyle, after a member of the public discovered a piece of unexploded ordnance.
“Specialist engineers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) attended, removed the item to a safe distance and carried out a controlled explosion.”
An Army spokesperson added: “An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the Army’s Edinburgh Troop was sent to Aberfoyle on Tuesday, after being tasked by Police Scotland to investigate an item of ordnance which was found.
“This was a very old, ‘No 36 Grenade’ which dates as far back as the early twentieth century. The ammunition technicians destroyed the grenade in situ.”
Stirling Council was also called out. A spokesperson said: “Police Scotland dealt with an incident in Aberfoyle on Tuesday and they contacted the council for support with the supply of sandbags in Aberfoyle. The council had no direct involvement in the incident.”
The ‘No 36 Grenade’ was a popular explosive with the British Army dating back to the First World War. It was designed and created by William Mills, a hand grenade designer from Sunderland.
They were the first modern fragmentation grenades used by the British Army and saw widespread use in World War I.
The No. 36 Mk. 1 was first introduced in May 1918.
